Directional drills are used for a number of types of jobs. A bore is made in the ground by piercing with a drill stem. In one use, new pipe may be drawn back through the bore that was formed. In this way, new pipe may be installed without the need to dig a trench in the ground first. For example, a utility line may be installed beneath a roadway without the need to close the road during the installation process. Progress of a directional drill stem may be monitored, and the tip of a drill stem may be steered to direct the bore over long distances. As a bore progresses, commonly, drill stem segments are added to increase a length of the drill stem until the bore reaches its intended destination. After the bore is complete, the drill stem may be retracted from the bore, and drill stem segments may be removed as the drill stem is retracted.
It is desirable to have a reliable system to add and remove segments of drill stem. It is further desirable to reduce cost of the directional drill.